SAFETY ALERTS

24 March poster / flyer | COVI-19 and Precautions You Should Be Taking - Download PDF

___________

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - COVID-19

Since the deployment of officers for COVID – 19, your Association has been negotiating with NSWPF in relation to several key industrial entitlements affected by the deployments and rostering arrangements. Some of these key areas include the topics below.

ACCOMMODATION - SELF ISOLATION

I have had a close contact and am required to self-isolate and do not wish to do this at my usual place of residence around my family members, what are my options?

Your Association immediately sought a commitment from the workers compensation insurer and NSWPF for officers who required accommodation to self-isolate. EML the workers compensation insurer advised that if COVID-19 has been contracted and diagnosed with work being the substantial contributing factor, then associated expenses are compensated.

Whether COVID-19 is diagnosed or not, and the officer is required to self-isolate, your Association has negotiated with NSWPF the circumstances in which accommodation should be offered.

Exposure/ Condition

High Risk Connection

Should accommodation be offered?

1

________________

Positive result

Potentially work related

Yes - individual or family members (in household)

Yes

2

Exposed - on duty

Yes - individual or family members (in household)

Yes

3

Exposed - on duty

No

Yes

4

Pre-work screening check - positive (temp and/or symptoms)

Yes - individual or family members (in household)

Yes

5

Pre-work screening check - positive (temp and/or symptoms)

No

Yes

6

Exposed - non-work related

N/A

N/A

VULNERABLE WORKERS

I (or a member of my household) have a condition that is considered ‘higher risk/ vulnerable’ for COVID-19, am I entitled to working from home arrangements and/or special leave?

There are some groups who may be at a higher risk if they were to contract COVID-19 for example –

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 50 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions

People 65 years and older with chronic medical conditions.

People 70 years and older

Pregnant women

People with compromised immune systems (see Department of Health website)

Conditions included in the definition of ‘chronic medical conditions’ will be refined as more evidence emerges. The most current list can be accessed on the Department of Health website.

In these cases, it is recommended that officers raise their concerns with their Commander/Manager and the Commander/Manager follow the COVID-19 – At Risk – Alternate Work Arrangements Assessment Tool to determine what mitigation strategies are required. This will be done on a case by case basis.

In the circumstances where an employee is not able to attend work due to their condition, if this is supported by medical evidence the employee's sick leave (not special leave) can be used in accordance with the usual process. If it is not supported by medical evidence, flexible work practices including working remotely should be reasonably considered.

Any officers who are experiencing difficulty negotiating with their Command alternate duties or working remotely, should contact the Association for advice and in particular if your case may require special pandemic leave if no other options are made available to you.

PPE

I am undertaking duties involving possible contact with COVID -19 sufferers, what PPE should I be provided with?

Be deployed with all recommended PPE including a mask, gloves and hand sanitiser.

Follow the ‘Decision guide for PPE’ NSWPF document for advice

If no PPE is available Members should refuse to be deployed under part 5 Clause 85 of the WHS Act NSW 2011 ( refusal to perform unsafe work) until the PPE is available.

If this occurs contact the PANSW via 92656777 in business hours for advice and assistance or via covid19@pansw.org.au after hours.

RELIEVING

Will all Commissioned Officers positions left vacant at Commands due to deployments at the POC be relieved into?

We understand some Commands are using a TAC model and so it should not be assumed that all Commissioned Officers roles are being replaced in each PAC/PD. When officers are required to perform the role of a higher ranked position and they are approved to perform the higher duties, the payment should be made in accordance with the Police Award condition.

I am a Non Commissioned Officer relieving into a Commissioned Officer position during the COVID -19 deployment working longer than my rostered 12 hours, will I get overtime?

No you are not entitled to overtime as a Commissioned Officer, however in accordance with the Managed Time policy during a period of relieving excess hours will be regarded as managed time to be taken at a later agreeable time. As set out in the Managed Time policy, managed time is not intended to be accrued on an hour by hour basis and should not be accumulated over a lengthy period of time (e.g. periods exceeding 3 months). In these extraordinary circumstances, where managed time is accrued, the accumulation period can be reasonably extended subject to operational needs. Officers are encouraged to discuss this with their Commander.

OVERTIME

I have been rostered for the COVID-19 shifts on a different roster to my usual Command roster resulting in me exceeding the 228 hours over the 6 week roster, will I be paid overtime?

In circumstances where officers hours have exceeded 228 in the roster period and no other arrangement has been made locally to balance the hours, then overtime should be paid for those hours worked in accordance with Award requirements.

Any excess hours worked during the 6 week roster cycle will be overtime, including excess hours as a result of the overlapped roster from the old Command roster to the new POC roster.

Who will approve my overtime form?

It would be the substantive Commander for hours at the end of the roster cycle and the deployment Commander for any overtime actually worked at the hotel deployments.

ROSTER CLASSIFICATION

I am classified as a 5 Day shift worker and have been rostered for duty as part of the COVID-19 deployment, what will happen with my classification?

Your Association strongly advocated that any affected 5 day workers would be reclassified as 7 day workers to enable access to the pro rata of an additional 2 weeks of annual leave entitlement. The reclassification is to commence on the 14 April to enable any 5 day workers to retain their Free of Work (FOW) days from Good Friday and Easter Monday. If officers worked on those 2 Public holidays, they will have their FOW days allotted to an alternate day as agreed. It is the position of the PANSW that these officers should remain as 7 day workers for the remainder of the year. NSWPF have advised that classifications will remain changed to 7 day until the NSWPF is satisfied that the extraordinary response requirements have reduced, and officers will be returning to their substantive roles on an ongoing basis. If this is before the end of the year, reclassification will be considered at that time.

Should any members be reclassified again during 2020, contact should be made with the PANSW office for assistance.

I am a 5 day shift worker and wish to remain this way, what will happen to my roster?

Any officers who are 5 day flex workers and who indicate an unwillingness to work on weekends/24-7/public holidays will not have their classification changed to 7 day and will not be utilised for the COVID-19 deployments. However, should the operational capability of the NSWPF significantly be affected, the NSWPF reserves the right to alter those classifications.

VEHICLES

I am having to drive my private vehicle into the hotel operation, where can I park?

Your Association encourages officers to use available police vehicles to travel to and from the hotel operations. It has been negotiated with NSWPF to strike an arrangement with each of the Hotels to enable officers to park there free of charge should they drive their own private vehicle. Sydney City Council have allocated free parking for Police Officers at the parking station on the corner of Goulburn and Elizabeth Street Sydney and at the Kings Cross car park. Officers should be claiming mileage on their end of year tax return and maintain a log of this work-related travel.

SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT

I have secondary employment approval and it is being reviewed due to COVID-19, why?

There is no blanket ban on approved secondary employment. Rather, Commanders have been asked to conduct a review of current secondary employment applications for staff within their commands/business units in line with:

NSW Health messaging

Federal Government stage one and two restrictions (and complete the COVID 19 Risk Assessment attached)

High risk or extraordinary applications previously approved by Regions Commanders or equivalent, are to be forwarded through the chain of command for approval with Commander/equivalent recommendation.

PROBATIONERS

I am a probationer allocated to the COVID-19 shifts, this will have an impact on the completion of my session, what do I do?

Any probationers who have been rostered and who will have difficulty completing their session requirements should seek to be removed from the deployment through their EDO and Commanders to enable proper completion of their duty book and session requirements.

MEALS

What happens if the meal I am provided on shift for the COVID -19 deployment does not meet the required standard?

Officers should inform the Duty Officer on shift of the quality of the meal to enable local resolution such as a replacement, take a photo of the meal if not resolved and then submit a meal claim expense via My ESS if you have incurred expenditure in purchasing an alternate meal.

LEAVE

I had leave booked in to travel overseas and no longer need the leave, can I cancel my leave?

Yes you can apply to cancel your leave and as we understand at present, NSWPF are seeking as many officers to remain working as possible to fulfill staffing orders, however these requests need to consider:

Operational requirements

The wishes of the officer

If the employee has an excessive leave balance

If the employee has had 2 consecutive weeks leave within the last 12 months

Command capacity to provide alternate leave dates

Cancellation of planned leave should be submitted through your chain of command for approval with the above-mentioned points considered and outlined in your report for approval.

What is the criteria for special pandemic Leave?

Employee is caring for family member due to closure of schools/caring facilities

Transport disruptions/closures\

Workplace closure

Employee is caring for an ill family member or one who has been directed to self-isolate

Employee is required to self-isolate

What happens if I contract COVID-19?

If the workplace was a substantial contributing factor to the contraction of COVID -19 officers are encouraged to submit a P902 workers compensation claim to the Insurer, which if approved will trigger workers compensation payments by EML.

If COVID – 19 was contracted outside of the workplace, sick leave provisions apply, and if sick leave is exhausted, employees may be granted a further 20 days ‘special sick leave - pandemic’.